Sri Lanka cracks down on illegally working foreigners

Colombo, May 15 (Xinhua-ANI): Sri Lanka is cracking down on foreigners working illegally and have requested for public assistance after an Indian national died while working in a local steel plant, an official said here on Tuesday.

It was reported by local media that the Indian identified as Manas Kumar Mallick was electrocuted while working in a privately owned steel plant in the outskirts of capital Colombo.

As part of the probe, the Immigration and Emigration Department is also calling on the public to help identify illegally working foreigners.

“There have been increasing complaints that foreigners arrive as tourists but become employed illegally. This is a serious situation as they could be harmed and are depriving locals of jobs, ” Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera told media.

Since the beginning of this year, officials have arrested over 1,500 foreigners that were illegally residing in the country after overstaying their tourist visas.